Seat arrangement of a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A seat device of a vehicle including a substantially flat floor surface substantially extending across a full cabin space of the vehicle, front row seats, center row seats and a rear row seat disposed in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the floor surface, a seat storage pan extending rearward the rear row seat and downward a level of the floor surface, the front row seats being disposed with a space, the center row seats including a plurality of seats in which at least one of the seats is movable in a lateral direction of the vehicle. When the rear row seat is received in the seat storage pan, a substantially flat and continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floor surface is formed rearward the center row seats to a rear end of the cabin space with a substantially full width of the cabin space. When the center row seats are disposed offset to one side of the vehicle with regard to the lateral direction, a substantially flat and continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floor surface is formed rearward the front row seats to a rear end of the cabin space. When the center row seats are disposed to produce a space at a central portion of the vehicle in the lateral direction, a substantially flat and continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floor surface is formed rearward the front row seats to a rear end of the cabin space at a central portion of the cabin space in the lateral direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a seat device of a vehicle, inparticular, a seat device of a vehicle which is provided with a flatfloor across a substantially entire seating area.

2. Related Art

A seat device as disclosed in a Japanese Un-examined Patent Applicationpublication No.61-37547 has been known. The seat device disclosed in theJapanese publication is provided with a seat which is movable in notonly a longitudinal direction of the vehicle but also a lateraldirection thereof and rotatable so as to improve an operationperformance of the seat device.

A Japanese Utility Model Un-examined publication No. 5-40029 discloses aseat device in which a rear seat can be folded and retracted in a recessformed at a rear portion in a cabin space. In this structure, when theseat is retracted, a bottom surface of a seat cushion of the seat issubstantially aligned with a floor level of the vehicle.

With this structure, it is advantageous in that when retracted, thecabin space is open to various usage, namely, the availability of thecabin space is enhanced.

It should, however, be noted that the structure as disclosed in theJapanese Utility Model publication is still disadvantageous inavailability of the cabin space as a whole although the rear portion thespace can be improved in its operability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the invention is to solve the aboveinconvenience of the conventional seat device of the vehicle.

In other words, it is an object of the present invention to provide avehicle seat device which can improve the operability of the cabin spaceof the vehicle as a whole in a vehicle which is provided with a floorsurface across a substantially entire cabin space.

The above and other objects of the present invention can be accomplishedby a seat device of a vehicle comprising a substantially flat floorsurface substantially extending across a full cabin space of thevehicle, front row seats, center row seats and a rear row seat disposedin a longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the floor surface, a seatstorage pan extending rearward the rear row seat and downward a level ofthe floor surface, the front row seats being disposed with a space, thecenter row seats including a plurality of seats in which at least one ofthe seats is movable in a lateral direction of the vehicle, when therear row seat is received in the seat storage pan, a substantially flatand continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floorsurface being formed rearward the center row seats to a rear end of thecabin space with a substantially full width of the cabin space, when thecenter row seats are disposed offset to one side of the vehicle withregard to the lateral direction, a substantially flat and continuoussurface of a substantially same level as the floor surface being formedrearward the front row seats to a rear end of the cabin space, and whenthe center row seats are disposed to produce a space at a centralportion of the vehicle in the lateral direction, a substantially flatand continuous surface of a substantially same level as the floorsurface being formed rearward the front row seats to a rear end of thecabin space at a central portion of the cabin space in the lateraldirection.

In a preferred embodiment, the front row seats include a driver's seatand an assistant's seat, the assistant's seat being movable in thelongitudinal direction, and at least one of the center row seats whichis disposed at a side of the assistant's seat in the lateral directionbeing movable in the lateral direction.

It is preferred that the center row seats are movable in both thelongitudinal and lateral directions, and a longitudinal slidingmechanism for allowing a longitudinal movement of the center row seatsbeing disposed over a lateral sliding mechanism for allowing a lateralmovement of the center row seats.

Preferably, a slide rail for allowing a sliding movement of the centralrow seats is provided with a mechanism through which a seat is removedfrom the slide rail. Further, it is preferable that a door opening isformed at a longitudinal side of a vehicle corresponding the center rowseats, and a side door for a sliding movement being combined with thedoor opening.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a seat device of avehicle comprising a substantially flat floor surface substantiallyextending across a full cabin space of the vehicle, a front row seat,center row seat and rear row seat disposed in a longitudinal directionof the vehicle on the floor surface, each of the seats being movable inboth the longitudinal and lateral directions of the vehicle through alongitudinal sliding mechanism for allowing the seat of a longitudinalmovement and a lateral sliding mechanism for allowing the seat of alateral movement, either one of the longitudinal and lateral slidingmechanisms being mounted on a body side of the vehicle, the other of thesliding mechanism being mounted on the seat so as to be moved togetherwith the seat, and the sliding mechanism mounted on the body side of thevehicle being provided with a removable mechanism through which the seatis removed.

As mentioned above, the seats are constituted to be movable andremovable so that the cabin space can be utilized in variousapplications. Thus, the operability of the cabin space as a whole can bedrastically expanded.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodimentswhich follows when read in light of the accompanying Figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a cabin of a vehicle to which the presentinvention can be applied;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view showing a lower portion and cabin thevehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a center row of seats;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of slide rails extending in the lateraldirection of the vehicle wherein the seats are removed;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a relationship between thelongitudinal slide rails and the lateral slide rails;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a joint structure of strikers formounting the seats and the lateral slide rails;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a mount of the lateral slide rails;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a condition of the cabin;

FIGS. 9A, 9B is a plan view and elevation view showing a condition ofthe cabin;

FIGS. 10A, 10B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 11A, 11B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 12A, 12B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 13A, 13B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 14A, 14B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 15A, 15B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 16A, 16B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 17A, 17B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 18A, 18B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 19A, 19B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 20A, 20B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 21A, 21B is a plan view and elevation view showing a furthercondition of the cabin;

FIGS. 22A, 22B is a plan view and elevation view showing a condition ofthe cabin in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 23A, 23B is a plan view and elevation view showing anothercondition of the cabin in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention of FIG. 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail takingreference with the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cabin 2of a vehicle 1 to which the present invention can be applied. FIG. 2 isan elevation view showing an inside of the cabin 2 and a portion of thevehicle 1 lower than the floor. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, betweenfront wheels 2 disposed at a front area of the vehicle 1 is defined anengine room 5 in which an engine 4 is disposed. The engine room 5 isdivided by a. cowl panel 6 and a dash panel 7 from a cabin space. Theillustrated vehicle 1 is of so called one box car which is provided witha floor panel which defines a substantially flat floor panel across anentire cabin space. In the cabin space, a front seat row of seats 9 and10 is arranged in a lateral direction side by side. One of the seats 9and 10 is a driver's seat 9 which is disposed corresponding to asteering wheel 11. The other seat 10 is an assistant's seat. A centerrow of seats 12, 13 are arranged rearward the front row of seats 9, 10.The seats 12, 13 are arranged side by side and movable independentlyfrom each other in a longitudinal and lateral directions of the vehicle1 respectively. Further, a rear row of seat 14 is arranged rearward thepair of center row of seats 12 and 13. In the illustrated embodiment,the rear row of seat 14 takes a bench seat configuration and is broadenough so that three persons can be seated although head rests areprovided for only two persons.

The seats 9,10,12,13 and 14 are provided with seat cushions 15 and seatbacks 16 which can be reclined, fixed at a desired seating angle andfoldable with regard to the seat cushions 15 respectively. Each of theseats is provided with a head rest 17. At a side of the front row of theseat is provided a front door 18. A side door 19 is providedcorresponding to the center row of seats 12 and 13. The side door 19 isprovided as a slide door in this illustrated embodiment so that an openspace is provided at a side of the center row of seats 12 and 13. Thereis defined a storage pan 20 extended downward the floor surface at arear portion of the vehicle 1 so that the rear row seat 14 is retractedin the pan 20. The storage pan 20 has a width enough to receive the rearrow seat 14 and has a depth to receive the seat 14 at a foldedcondition. An upper opening 21 of the pan 20 is closed by forming asurface aligned with the floor panel 8 when the rear seat 14 isretracted therein.

With regard to the lower structure of the floor panel 8, a propellershaft 22 extends rearward at a central portion of the vehicle 1 from arear end of the engine 4. A rear end of the propeller shaft 22 is joinedwith a differential gear device 24 of a rear wheel 23. The differentialgear device 24 distributes an engine output power transmitted to thepropeller shaft 22 from the engine 4 to transmit the power through rearaxles to the rear wheels 23. A pair of side frames 38 extending in thelongitudinal direction are provided at opposite sides of the vehicle 1.Between a wheel base of the front wheel 3 and the rear wheel 23 isprovided a spare tire storage device close to one of the side portionsof the vehicle 1. A fuel tank is disposed at a substantially sameposition as the tire storage device in the longitudinal direction of thevehicle 1 and close to the other of the side portions of the vehicle 1.With this arrangement, the propeller shaft 22 extends in thelongitudinal direction between the tire storage device and the fueltank. In this case, the propeller shaft 22 extends straight andrearward. Further, an exhaust gas pipe 25 extends rearward from the rearend of the engine 4. A catalyst converter 26 is disposed at a frontposition of the spare tire storage device on the exhaust gas pipe 25 forcleaning the exhaust gas. The exhaust pipe 25 is formed with an archedportion, a silencer 27 rearward of the arched portion and a sub-silencer28 just before an end opening of the pipe.

In the illustrated structure, the front row seats 9, 10 are slidablymovable in the longitudinal direction and the center row seats 12, 13are silidably movable in both the longitudinal and lateral directions.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are provided perspective views showinglateral slide rails 29 for the center row seats 12, 13. The slide rails29 are buried in the floor parallel with each other to extend in thelateral direction. The slide rails 29 are provided with strikers 30 andlock and lever mount 31 for mounting the center row seats at a desiredposition. Each of the seats is formed with a hook 33 for engaging thestriker 30 and a lock and lever structure for engaging the lock andlever mount 31.

In FIG. 5, there is generally shown a relationship between the lateralslide rails 29 and longitudinal slide rails 32. As shown in FIG. 5, thelongitudinal rails 32 are fixed to the center row seat 12, 13. To alower side of each of the slide rails 32 is fixed a hook 33 which isbrought into engagement with the rail 29. As shown in FIG. 6, the sliderail 29 is slidably provided with a slide guide 34 for supporting thestriker 30 which is brought into engagement with the hook 33 so that theright and left center row seats 12 and 13 are movable in the lateraldirection along the lateral slide rails 29.

The lateral slide rails 29 are buried so as to be installed within apair of recesses 8a, 8a formed on the floor panel 8. Referring furtherto FIG. 7, the slide rails 29 are constituted by a pair of long panelmembers of substantially S like configuration in section. The panelmembers are supported by the brackets 39 which are fixed to the floorpanel by means of bolts. The brackets 39 are disposed at a predeterminedinterval in the lateral direction, fixed to a horizontal flange portionof the panel member forming the slide rail 29 at one end for supportingthe panel member and fixed to the floor panel 8 through bolts 40.

As shown in FIG. 6, beneath the recess of the floor panel is positioneda cross member 41 of a channel configuration which is fixed to the siderails 29 at opposite ends so that a cross sectioned panel structureextending in the lateral direction is formed by the cross member 41 anda lower surface of the floor panel 8.

An upper surface of the slide rail 29 is substantially aligned with theupper surface of the floor panel 8. As a result, when the center lowseats 12 and 13 are removed, a substantially flat floor surface isformed although the strikers 30 and the mounts 31 are slightly projectedupwardly.

When the seats 12, 13 are slid with guides 35 which engage thelongitudinal slide rails 32, the seats 12 and 13 can be moved in thelongitudinal direction of the vehicle along the longitudinal rails 32.On top of that, the center row seats 12, 13 can be removed bydisengaging the hook 33 from the strikers 30.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the front row seats 9 and 10 arealso removable. These seats can be mounted oppositely longitudinally.

Hereinafter, with the vehicle structure having the above seat device,how to utilize the cabin space is to be explained.

A basic seat arrangement of the illustrated vehicle is, as shown in FIG.1, of a captain mode in which the front row seats 9 and 10, the centerrow seats 12 and 13, and the rear row seat 14 are all arranged for aforward looking attitude. In this case, the center row seats 12 and 13are fixed to produce a distance in between.

As shown in FIG. 8, it is possible to provide so called a bench mode inwhich one of the seats 12 and 13 is slid in the lateral direction toeither one side so that two seats 12 and 13 are positioned at one sidein contact with each other with regard to the lateral direction of thevehicle 1.

As shown in FIG. 9, with the bench mode, the seats 12, 13 and 14 are allentirely folded to establish a two seating vehicle condition. With thiscondition, the cabin space rearward of the front row seats 9 and 10 canbe widely opened so that a big amount of luggage can be loaded.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, the assistant's seat can be entirelyfolded to obtain a further open space in the cabin. As shown in FIG. 11,the center row seats 12 and 13 are moved laterally toward either oneside of the cabin so as to be brought into contact with each other andentirely folded. With this arrangement, flat back surfaces of the seatbacks 16b of the seats 12 and 13 can be utilized like a table. In thiscase, if the center row seats 12 and 13 are constituted in a manner thatthe seat backs 16 are formed with hard and horizontal flat surfaces inthe back sides when entirely folded, the back sides of the seat backs ofthe center row seats 12 and 13 can be effectively used like a table.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12, when the front row seats 9 and 10 arearranged oppositely in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and thecenter row seats 12 and 13 are entirely folded, a face to face mode canbe established in which the persons seated in the front row seats 9 and10 face the persons seated in the rear row seat 14 over the center rowseats 12 and 13. In FIG. 13, a condition is shown that the center rowseats 12 and 13 are removed. With this arrangement, a widely open spacecan be obtained forward of the rear row seat 14. The removed center rowseats 12 and 13 can be stored in the storage pan 20. Alternatively, theycan be arranged rearward of the front row seats 9 and 10 with theentirely folded condition as shown in FIG. 14.

Further, as shown in FIG. 15, when the center row seats 12 and 13 andthe rear row seat 14 take full flat conditions, it is possible toestablish a bed like condition by means of the seats. In this case, ifthe head rests 17 are able to be removed and mounted laterally thereto,a wider flat bed like condition can be established with thisarrangement.

Further, as shown in FIG. 16, when the rear row seat 14 is retractedinto the storage pan 20, it is possible to obtain a widely open spacerearward of the center row seats 12 and 13 in the cabin. With thisarrangement, a widely open space of a flat surface in line with thefloor surface can be formed at a side of the side door extending fromthe rearward of the assistant's seat to the rear end of the cabin space.As a result, a long and wide luggage such as ski, table, mattress can beloaded along a longitudinal and vertical side of the vehicle as shown inFIG. 16. This is because a full space from the floor surface to aceiling of the cabin can be obtained with no obstacle.

Further, the center row seats 12 and 13 can be removed with the rearseat 14 being retracted in the storage pan 20 as shown in FIG. 17. As aresult, a flat and widely open space in line with a floor level can beestablished rearward the front row seats with a full width to the rearend of the cabin. Such wide and open space of the cabin cannot beestablished in any conventional passenger vehicle. Thus, the vehicleaccording to the present invention can be used like a truck. In thiscase, the center row seats 12 and 13 can be stored rearward of the frontrow seats 9 and 10 with an entire folded condition (FIG. 18). Inaddition, when the front row seats 9 and 10 and the center row seats 12and 13 are fully reclined to establish substantially full flat conditionwith the rear row seat 14 being arranged for a normal seating condition,it is possible to obtain a broad and open bed like condition forward therear row seat 14. In this case, if the head rest 17 is removed andarranged between the seats, it is possible to form a wide and flatsurface substantially completely covered by the seats and head rests.

As shown in FIG. 20, when the rear row seat 14 is rolled back withkeeping the normal seating attitude around a hinge 37 which is disposedat a rear side of the seat so as to be seated on the seat back 16 inlieu of the seat cushions 15 with an inverted condition.

In this case, the seat back 16 takes a horizontal state. The storage pan20 positioned under beneath the seat back 16 so that a person can sit onthe seat back 16 with a rear door 40 open. Further, as shown in FIG. 21,one of the center row seats 12 and 13 can be removed to leave only one.

Referring to FIG. 22, there is shown another embodiment in accordancewith the present invention. In this embodiment, the center row seats areconstituted by three seats in which a middle seat 36 is not mounted onthe rails 29 and removably mounted. Therefore, when the middle seat 36is removed, it is possible to utilize the cabin space with broadvariations as mentioned in connection with the former embodiment. Whenthe middle seat 36 is attached, a wider bench mode can be establishedwith the center row seats 12,13 and 36.

As mentioned above, according to the present invention, the cabin spacecan be utilized with many variations as a whole so as to improve theoperability of the cabin space drastically. Thus, the utility of thevehicle can be greatly expanded.

Although the present invention has been explained with reference to aspecific, preferred embodiment, one of ordinary skill in the art willrecognize that modifications and improvements can be made whileremaining within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Thescope of the present invention is determined solely by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A seat arrangement of a vehicle comprising:a flatfloor surface extending across a full cabin space of the vehicle; frontrow seats, center row seats and a rear row seat disposed in alongitudinal direction of the vehicle on the floor surface; a seatstorage pan extending rearward the rear row seat and downward a level ofthe floor surface; the front row seats being disposed with a space; thecenter row seats including at least two seats disposed in a lateraldirection of the vehicle, the center row seats being disposed so as tobe switched between a first mode in which the two seats have a spacetherebetween and a second mode in which the two seats are offset to oneside of the vehicle with regard to the lateral direction and contactwith each other; a reverse T-shaped floor space extending from the spacebetween the center row seats to the rear part of the cabin space isformed when the center row seats are disposed in the first mode and therear row seat is received in the seat storage pan; a L-shaped floorspace extending from the space in the other side of the vehicle withregard to the lateral direction in the center part of the cabin space tothe rear part of the cabin space is formed when the center row seats aredisposed in the second mode and the rear row seat is received in theseat storage pan; and at least one of the center row seats is movable inboth the longitudinal and lateral directions, and a longitudinal sliderail for allowing a longitudinal movement of the center row seat isdisposed over a lateral slide rail for allowing a lateral movement ofthe center row seat.
 2. A seat arrangement of a vehicle as recited inclaim 1 wherein at least one of the center row seats is disposed to beremovable from the floor surface.
 3. A seat arrangement of a vehicle asrecited in claim 1 wherein the center row seats are removably mounted ina lateral slide rail extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle. 4.A seat arrangement of a vehicle as recited in claim 3 wherein alongitudinal sliding mechanism for allowing a longitudinal movement ofthe center row seats is disposed over a mounting portion of the centerrow seats of the lateral slide rail.
 5. A seat arrangement of a vehiclecomprising:a flat floor surface extending across a full cabin space ofthe vehicle; front row seats, center row seats and a rear row seatdisposed in an longitudinal direction of the vehicle on the floorsurface; a seat storage pan extending rearward the rear row seat anddownward a level of the floor surface; the center row seats including atleast two seats disposed in a lateral direction of the vehicle, thecenter row seats being disposed so as to be switched between a firstmode in which the two seats have a space therebetween and a second modein which the two seats are offset to one side of the vehicle with regardto the lateral direction and in contact with each other; a reverseT-shaped floor space extending from the space between the center rowseats to the rear part of the cabin space is formed when the center rowseats are disposed in the first mode and the rear row seat is receivedin the seat storage pan; and a L-shaped floor space extending from thespace in the other side of the vehicle with regard to the lateraldirection in the center part of the cabin space to the rear part of thecabin space is formed when the center row seats are disposed in thesecond mode and the rear row seat is received in the seat storage pan;and a lateral slide rail for allowing a lateral movement of the centerrow seats, the lateral slide rail being provided with a mechanismthrough which at least one of the center row seats is removed from thelateral slide rail.